


the inevitability of us

by AStrangeDaze (TerraRising)



Category: NU'EST, Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Humor, I swear it's mostly fluff, Insecurity, M/M, Surprise Ending, The fluffiest I've ever fluffed in my whole life, implied/referenced eating disorder, seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-16 23:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16504553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerraRising/pseuds/AStrangeDaze
Summary: It all starts with a sweater, a pair of jeans, and a harmless piece of paper.Not that Minhyun knows it at the time, but it does.





	the inevitability of us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starsurge](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsurge/gifts).



> A little gift from your's truly, I hope you enjoy though it's not the longest piece.

 

Minhyun wakes slowly to the sensation of light touches across his skin. About to open his eyes, he decides against it last minute, feigning sleep instead; it’s a rare day when Seongwoo is awake before him and he can’t help but be curious as to what the other would do.

 

Minutes tick by and he resists the urge to smile or fidget. Seongwoo’s fingers stroke down his nose gently, lightly calloused pads tracing the bridge of his nose over and over again until he shifts his attention to another part of Minhyun’s face. At the light touch of Seongwoo’s fingers ghosting along his jaw, Minhyun carefully peeks at Seongwoo with barely open eyes. Scant sunlight filtering through the blinds fall gently across Seongwoo’s features, his sleep-mussed hair further softening his look. The way he looks so focused as he traces Minhyun’s jaw, eyes alit with childish curiousity, is so endearing Minhyun struggles to press down the smile threatening to blossom across his lips and give himself away.

 

He lets Seongwoo continue his careful exploration before deliberately scrunching his eyes and nose with a soft yawn and blinking his eyes fully open. To his surprise, Seongwoo hasn’t withdrawn his fingers at all, keeping the light touch there as he shamelessly continues to observe Minhyun closely.

 

“What’re you doing?” Minhyun finally asks, fondness colouring every syllable at the sight of Seongwoo’s impish grin.

 

Seongwoo leans closer to peck his cheek, “Good morning.”

 

Huffing softly, Minhyun yanks on Seongwoo’s pajamas to pull him close, craning his neck upwards to press an obnoxiously loud smooch on the other’s cheek, “Good morning to you too, what was that earlier?”

 

Seongwoo pulls a face as he always does and makes a big show of wiping nonexistent saliva off his cheek before he shimmies out of the sheets and pads towards the washroom, “Get up, we’ve got a lot to do today.”

 

Rolling over Minhyun laughs though he wonders why Seongwoo refuses to answer his question; embarrassment perhaps? “That’s funny coming from you.”

 

“Shush, if we’re late this time I can finally blame you,” Seongwoo calls over the sound of running water, “I was awake earlier today!”

 

“And yet you didn’t get up to get ready or wake up me, you just lazed around in bed,” he teases, slipping his feet into his slippers and then following Seongwoo into the washroom to wash up, “So it’s still your fault.”

 

Seongwoo scoffs but doesn’t respond any further, rushing through his morning routine and leaving a bemused Minhyun behind. When he exits the washroom, he finds Seongwoo has left Minhyun’s favourite dark-wash jeans and a beige sweater on the hastily made bed and he chuckles, taking the hint and slipping on the outfit. He finds Seongwoo sitting capriciously on the couch, scrolling through his phone, long legs encased in beige slacks, one hand picking absent-mindedly at a loose thread of the black sweater Minhyun bought him last Christmas.

 

“Ready?” he calls out, waiting for his boyfriend to look up and join him in the foyer of their apartment.

 

“Of course I am, I was waiting for you, slowpoke,” Seongwoo sings, delighting in being able to say these words to Minhyun, laughing when the other man rolls his eyes at the petty parroting.

 

They make it to brunch with barely two minutes to spare and greet their friends warmly. Jinyoung looks up from his phone, takes one look at them and snorts, shaking his head as he elbows Jihoon who was seated on his right and intent in conversation with Jisung hyung. Minhyun frowns in confusion when Jihoon too snorts, lips twisting in amusement and now Jisung laughs softly to himself while standing to greet them.

 

“Really?” he hears Jisung say to Seongwoo who only throws an arm around Minhyun’s shoulders with a smug look on his face.

 

“Is it a problem?”

 

“No, it’s just,” Jisung pulls a face while the younger ones snicker, whispering amongst themselves.

 

“Here hyung,” Guanlin pushes a menu into Minhyun’s hands, flapping his arms enthusiastically to beckon Minhyun into the empty seat across from him, “Order first! I’m hungry!”

 

Minhyun smiles fondly at the younger man whom it seems has never quite grown out of his teenage hunger, turning away from the whispering to take the offered seat, “Okay, sure, anything you’d recommend?”

 

Somewhere between the hundred and one recommendations Guanlin spouts off excitedly, Minhyun forgets about the whispering and secret looks. For a while at least.

 

* * *

 

 

“It’s this one, it’s this one! No, not that one, you passed it, turn back, turn back, make a right at the next intersection,” Seongwoo tapped on Minhyun’s arm urgently and he groaned, shrugging off the excitable hand with just a touch of irritation.

 

“Next time you’re driving,” Minhyun groused, “You enjoy it more and you’re a terrible backseat driver, I’d rather be a passenger forever.”

 

“Shutting up,” Seongwoo sings, miming locking his lips and throwing away the key with wide, earnest eyes.

 

Minhyun snorts, reaching over to flick his boyfriend on the forehead at the sight of the other visibly straining not to direct him on the ‘best path’ to the cafe they were headed to. Parking easily, they made their way out and Seongwoo immediately loops his arm through Minhyun’s pulling him towards this new cafe he insisted Minhyun try with him, making a bee-line for the end of the queue.

 

When an notice for a pop-up shop from a brand garnering great reviews in the past half-year started circulating, Seongwoo had seen the online ad boasting customizable, one-of-a-kind desserts and promptly spammed the link at Minhyun every hour until the other agreed to make time to go with Seongwoo before the shop closed and moved on to the next city.

 

Turning to poke his fingers into the soft skin of Seongwoo’s puffed up cheeks, Minhyun can’t help but giggle to himself at the pout his boyfriend turns towards him. “Cold?”he asked, taking half a step closer to casually drape his arms around Seongwoo in a back hug.

 

A year ago Seongwoo would have gone stiff, would have tried his best to avoid Minhyun’s arms and extract himself from the embrace. Now he leans back, putting all his weight on Minhyun’s chest without a thought, grinning as he turned to poke his chilly nose against Minhyun’s neck. “I don’t like lines,” Seongwoo complains, putting a slight whine into his voice that had Minhyun rolling his eyes.

 

“Stop it, you know that act doesn’t work on me,” he scolded.

 

“Not even a little bit?” Seongwoo pitched his voice softer, a soft, velvety croon as he turned around to burrow further into Minhyun’s arm’s with a teasing smile.

 

Minhyun knocked their foreheads together gently in reprimand, getting another pout for his actions that he couldn’t help but lean in to kiss away. Seongwoo’s pout smooths away quickly and the little devil nips at Minhyun’s lower lip playfully before pulling away. “We’re in public,” he says, withdrawing from the circle of Minhyun’s arms decisively and Minhyun huffs a bit in a amusement; with how affectionate Seongwoo could be, it was easy to forget how the other man disliked being overly affectionate in public.

 

“Number 23, table for two?”

 

“Oh, that’s us!” Seongwoo’s face lights up and he sticks his arm up to signal their place to the hostess, pulling Minhyun along eagerly.

 

They’re seated swiftly by a waitress who leaves them with two menus after explaining how the customizing process works. It takes them a few minutes to decide what each of them want but Minhyun’s suggestion of ordering an americano for Seongwoo is quickly shot down to his surprise.

 

“Let me handle the drinks,” Seongwoo insists, tugging the paper and pencil out of Minhyun’s hands and then scribbling something down before he could protest, flagging down a nearby waitress with a smile.

 

“Should I be worried?” Minhyun asks, only half joking; Seongwoo had picked up the weirdest tastes from Daniel over the years of their friendship and being friends with Sungwoon meant he no longer had qualms about trying the more _adventurous_ food items.

 

“No,” Seongwoo smiles, resting his chin in the cradle of his palms and gazing at Minhyun with just the slightest hint of mischief in his eyes.

 

“If this makes me sick,” Minhyun warns.

 

His boyfriend rolls his eyes and scoffs, “I’ll take care of you, you big baby. And it’s _fine_ , you have nothing to worry about.”

 

“You taking care of me might be even scarier,” Minhyun jests, getting a light kick to his shin under the table.

 

“I got better, that was _one_ time!” Seongwo grips, “You bring it up every time and it’s been two years!”

 

“It’s not every day a sick person has to suffer what I had to suffer.”

 

“Well you should have _said something_ instead of eating it back then!”

 

The return of the waitress with their meal cuts off their argument, and they fall silent immediately, murmuring their thanks in unison. Minhyun turned his eyes to the tall glass filled with what looked like a very fancy milkshake, eyes flitting from the Ferrero Rocher on top to the chocolate laden wafers sticking out from the side. No matter where he looked he couldn’t seem to spot the trap.

 

“Is that…for me?” he pointed at the drink, unable to help but be a little excited.

 

“For us,” Seongwoo says, shamelessly gesturing to the two straws on each side.

 

Minhyun blinks in surprise. “…are you sure you don’t want coffee instead?” he hedges, fiddling with one of the straws unconsciously.

 

Instead Seongwoo only leans forward to latch unto the straw on his side, taking a sip and letting out a happy hum, gesturing with his eyes for Minhyun to try and Minhyun leans forward, carefully stretching out his neck so his sweater doesn’t end up dragging through waffle toppings in front of him. Taking a sip, he grins happily around the straw at the smooth and rich chocolate that flows over his tongue, looking up to see Seongwoo’s answering grin close, the other still drinking at the same time though he seemed to be fighting back laughter.

 

Pulling away, Minhyun notes that they had already demolished half of the milkshake. “What was that for? Why are you laughing?”

 

“Nothing,” Seongwoo wipes the grin on his face off along with the chocolate at the corner of his lips, “You like sweet things and I heard this was good, that’s all.”

 

“You could have gotten your americano,” Minhyun points out, starting to cut into his waffles, “You don’t have that much of a sweet tooth.”

 

“Compared to you, anyone has less of a sweet tooth,” Seongwoo points out, rolling his eyes.

 

“Daniel is worse than I am,” Minhyun refutes, crinkling his nose as he took a large bite out of his meal.

 

“Daniel also had eight cavities when he went to the dentist last month if you want to join him,” Seongwoo shoots back.

 

Minhyun pulled a face, suddenly feeling a phantom pain in his jaw but chewing through it stubbornly. Pushing the drink closer to the middle of the table, he gestured at Seongwoo imperiously, “You’re finishing this with me. I end up with cavities, you’re going down with me,” he sucked on the straw sulkily, cursing the milkshake for being utterly delicious.

 

Seongwoo snickers and leans forward to take a sip obligingly, “Yes dear.”

 

* * *

 

“What are you wearing?” Minhyun can’t help but feel like his mind was a little boggled, eyeing the frankly hideous coat that Seongwoo had on.

 

A usually trendy individual, his boyfriend normally wouldn’t be caught dead in anything that didn’t make him look like a billboard model. To see him clad in that lumpy, oversized excuse for a winter jacket was simply unconceivable.

 

“Problem?” Seongwoo raised and eyebrow and maybe a shoulder though Minhyun honestly couldn’t tell under that lump of fabric.

 

“I…guess not?” he pulled their apartment door open, bewilderment painted quite clearly on his face, “Uh, we should get going then?”

 

“Mmm,” Seongwoo agreed, shuffling over to step into his boots and then hopping over the threshold, “Ready when you are!”

 

Minhyun shook his head, resigning himself to whatever madness Seongwoo had concocted again since this _clearly_ wasn’t normal. They made their way to the subway, Seongwoo whistling cheerfully as they headed to the monthly dinners Jisung insisted in hosting at his apartment. Once they finally survived being jostled by the crowd, god knows why Jisung insisted on living at such a central location, they finally resurfaced from the underground and started on the fifteen minute trek towards Jisung’s place, neither willing to wait for the bus that never seemed to have room.

 

“What are you doing standing all the way over there?” Seongwoo questions, the faintest scowl painted on his face, gesturing to the uncharacteristic gap Minhyun was leaving between them.

 

Minhyun casts a look at Seongwoo’s jacket unwittingly and the other man’s scowl deepens. “What, you’re not going to stand next to me now that I don’t look as good? You’ve been looking at me weird all evening and leaving space between us even on the crowded subway earlier. Is it that unbearable?” Seongwoo snarks, voice just a little mocking and Minhyun groans internally as his boyfriend’s random bouts of insecurity rears its head with a vengeance.

 

“You know that I’m not dating you because of your looks,” he tries to say patiently for the millionth time since knowing Seongwoo, feeling like he was only fighting a losing battle, “I don’t care about those things and _no_ , I’m not saying that you’re ugly _or_ that you’re only good for your face. Stop that.”

 

Seeing the disgruntlement painted clearly on his boyfriend’s face, Minhyun closed the gap with a sigh, fighting the urge to look at the coat as if something was going to jump out at him. (And it’s happened before; the year Jihoon decided to prank Woojin non-stop and forgot _other_ _people_ might get caught in the crossfire, Daehwi had haplessly stopped to pick up Woojin’s old trench coat for him only to scream his bloody head off when half the biology department’s frogs jumped out of the pockets at his face in a bid for freedom from their fate of being dissected.) “Better?” he asked, brushing Seongwoo’s knuckles with the back of his hand though a layer of suede separated them, gauging the level of acceptance.

 

His boyfriend hums noncommittally, looking straight ahead as they continued their walk in silence, expression shuttered. Minhyun sighed, heart feeling heavy; he hated being the one that triggered Seongwoo’s insecurities.

 

As irrational as they could seem, it wasn’t without reason and Minhyun damned well knew the root cause and his triggers. It had taken the combined efforts of all their friends to persuade Seongwoo to leave the modelling industry when the extreme dieting demands and weight restrictions finally culminated in an eating disorder. Minhyun could still remember the harrowing days of begging Seongwoo to eat, to get treatment, the way his clothes would hang off that near skeletal frame, body no longer sleek lines but bones barely held together by skin and sinew. It had taken almost two years of therapy to break Seongwoo out of his strict diets, and that wasn’t to say anything about the body image issues years of emotionally and psychologically abusive remarks left him with nearly half a decade later - sometimes, Minhyun doubted it would ever leave Seongwoo completely.

 

For now though, they were going to walk into Jisung’s apartment and everyone would know that there was something wrong with Seongwoo by the time they crossed into the living room because, one, as good of an actor as he could be, their friends had known him for much too long to be fooled, and two, Seongwoo’s caustic tongue would be making an appearance tonight if he stewed for too long and everyone knew _exactly_ what triggered that. Which would lead to an evening of tiptoeing on eggshells and half-questioning, half-reproachful looks sent Minhyun's way.

 

As soon as he thinks it, he wants to slap himself for such a self-centered thought. It’s unkind, he shouldn’t think this way, and he’s ashamed the moment the thought forms and registers.

 

Reaching over tentatively, Minhyun linked their pinkies together, a silent bid for attention and forgiveness. His finger misses the first time, a bit stiff from the cold, but he succeeds on his second attempt and Seongwoo thankfully doesn’t pull away though he’s still tense enough that Minhyun can feel the fine tremours of his body. They’re five minutes from the apartment when Seongwoo suddenly unwinds their pinkies and then swiftly laces their fingers together fully.

 

“Your hands are cold,” Seongwoo huffs out gruffly, glancing down at Minhyun’s hands, those elegant fingers with knuckles bright red from the chill, “Where are your gloves?”

 

“Oh,” Minhyun blinks at the sudden question, “I think I left them at Dongho’s place yesterday.”

 

Seongwoo reaches over to grab Minhyun’s left hand, swiftly pulling off his left glove and shoving it on Minhyun’s hand. A beat of hesitation and then he interlaces his now bare left hand with Minhyun’s right again, before shoving their conjoined hands into one of the oversized pockets of the jacket that caused the entire situation.

 

“Don’t forget your gloves next time,” he mumbled, words half lost into the bulk of his scarf as he ducked his head, still not meeting Minhyun’s eyes, “You just recovered from that cold.”

 

Minhyun wonders in the moment, relishing in the heat of Seongwoo’s hand encompassing his icy cold one, tucked snugly inside a pocket just barely big enough for both of their hands to fit, if his heart could ever feel any warmer than this. He swoops in to peck Seongwoo’s cheek, grinning from ear to ear as they walked the rest of the way with their hands overheating in that cramped pocket.

 

“Okay, I won’t make you worry again.”

 

* * *

 

 

“I don’t understand why we’re going to watch this,” Minhyun griped.

 

Seongwoo shoves a bucket of popcorn at Minhyun before picking up the two drinks from the concession stand, “You said yes to the movies.”

 

“Yes, but I thought we were in agreement that we would not be watching _this_ movie.”

 

His eyes drifted towards the poster for the newly released horror movie with a tacky plot line about some re-animated corpse that chases a bunch of teenagers that disturbed its grave through a high school. Even on the poster the distorted faces of horror on the actors and actresses faces looked fake, and the male lead looked ten years too old to be playing a high school student. Everything that promised a terrible movie and yet Seongwoo had insisted on buying tickets to it.

 

“I thought we could try something new instead,” Seongwo sniffed, “And it’s not like anything else really good is out right now, come on, it’ll be starting soon.”

 

“I would rather watch the new Pororo movie,” Minhyun grumbles under his breath, “You don’t even like horror movies.”

 

“I like them well enough and stop trying to make it seem like Pororo is a chore for you, I saw you watching the cartoon last Sunday.”

 

Minhyun rolled his eyes, ignoring Seongwoo’s jab, “Remember that time Sungwoon insisted on everyone watching a horror movie together for his birthday?”

 

Seongwoo snorted, “It wasn’t even his birthday.”

 

“But you know what time I’m talking about. You couldn’t sleep that night, I could hear you tossing and turning from across the room.”

 

“I think you’re mistaking me for Jinyoung, I slept just fine.”

 

“You screamed at every scene.”

 

“That was Jaehwan and Daniel.”

 

“Just admit it already,” Minhyun teased, “You’re bad at horror movies and you’re going to regret this decision tonight.”

 

“No way,” Seongwoo rebuffed, plunging a hand into the popcorn and stuffing it into his mouth stubbornly as if to cut off conversation, leaving Minhyun to snicker knowingly into his drink.

 

“Wanna bet?”

 

“Shut up, the movie is about to start,” Seongwoo hissed back just as the lights went from dim to completely off.

 

Sure enough, Seongwoo flinches from the very first moment the monster emerges from it’s grave, eyes wide and frame tense, and it only gets worse from there. Minhyun is torn between laughing at the terrible acting on screen and laughing at how his boyfriend was stubbornly trying to pretend he wasn’t about to jump out of his seat at each of the jump scares.

 

At one point, Seongwoo reaches for his hand blindly, gripping it tightly as he resolutely refused to cover his eyes. “You can hold my hand if you’re scared,” he says instead, a forced note of levity in his voice that has Minhyun’s lips twisting in amusement, “I’ll hold you.”

 

“If _I’m_ scared?” Minhyun asks, laughter bubbling in his throat.

 

“Uhuh,” Seongwoo replies before promptly ruining his act with a full-bodied twitch in reaction to the loud bang of the monster breaking down the pitiful blockade the students had put up.

 

“Come here, you big baby,” Minhyun rolls his eyes, wrapping an arm around Seongwoo’s shoulders and pulling him into his side, guiding his boyfriend’s face into the crook of his neck.

 

Seongwoo fights him for all of five seconds before a high pitched scream sends him tumbling into Minhyun’s arms, eyes squeezed tightly shut as he pressed his face against Minhyun’s shoulder.

 

“I told you you’ll regret it,” Minhyun couldn’t resist saying, prompting Seongwoo to jab him in the side with pointy elbows before he yelped, indignancy overtaken by terror, and retreated back into the relative safety of Minhyun’s arms.

 

“We don’t have to finish watching this you know, we can just leave,” Minhyun offers.

 

“No,” Seongwoo rejected the idea instantly.

 

“I’m just saying-”

 

“ _No_ , we paid for these tickets, we’re staying,” Seongwoo mumbled into his boyfriend’s shirt, ignoring the rumbling of the chest beneath him as Minhyun shook with bemusement.

 

“Alright,” Minhyun settled himself in for another hour of badly directed and poorly acted horror, and a jumpy boyfriend in his arms, “If that’s what you want.”

 

“It is,” Seongwoo pouted.

 

“Then we’ll stay,” Minhyun reached over to wrap his other arm more firmly around Seongwoo, rubbing his hand soothingly up and down Seongwoo’s back, “We’ll stay.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey,” Minhyun slid into the booth, unwinding his scarf as he shook the snow out of his hair, “Did you wait long?”

 

“Nope,” Jonghyun says, cutting off Minki before he can spin a wild story about how they’d been waiting forever and now Minhyun needed to pay for their drinks to make up for it, “Just got here two minutes ago, “Traffic is bad today.”

 

“It’s Seoul,” Minki rolls his eyes, pushing one of the menus towards Minhyun, “Traffic is _always_ bad.”

 

“Where’s Dongho?” Minhyun glances around, “Late?”

 

“Washroom,” Jonghyun gestures in a vague direction with his head, “So, how’ve you been?”

 

It’s easy to fall into a rhythm with his friends, it’s comfortable, and for a moment it’s like being back in middle school again though they’re griping about jobs and annoying bosses now instead of boring classes and strict teachers. Eventually, Minhyun turns to Jonghyun as the conversation lulls, “Hey, can I ask you a question?”

 

“Hmm?” Jonghyun looks up from his phone, tucking the device away, “What is it?”

 

“Have you noticed that Seongwoo has been a little…weird, lately?”

 

“Weird how?” Jonghyun asks, brows furrowed.

 

To his side, Minki takes a sip of his smoothie and eyes Minhyun curiously, Dongho also pausing from where he had been picking apart the table cloth to turn his attention to Minhyun, everyone waiting to hear his answer. It has him feeling oddly nervous under the combined weight of their stares and he gulps audibly.

 

“Like, he keeps doing things that he doesn’t normally do. Or insisting we go somewhere or try something out.”

 

Dongho snorts, “So your boyfriend wants to spend more time with you and try something new, and you’re creeped out?”

 

“I’m not creeped out,” Minhyun protests immediately, “It’s just, weird. Not the spending time together part, we do that plenty anyways-”

 

“Oh we know,” Minki says under his breath.

 

“Shush,” Minhyun cuts him off before he can say more, “What I mean is, something just feels a little off. Like something isn’t right. Last week he insisted we watch that really bad horror movie even though he _hates_ horror movies. And the week before that, he wore this absolutely hideous jacket out, one that he normally wouldn’t even step on, and we almost fought because of it.”

 

“You almost fought him over a jacket?” Jonghyun asks, eyebrows shooting up behind his bangs.

 

“Not over the jacket,” he struggles to explain, “But I didn’t want to stand close to him in case he was going to prank me with something hidden in the jacket and then he got mad that I was avoiding him because he thought I was ashamed of being seen with him in that jacket-”

 

“Minhyun,” Jonghyun’s brows furrow, disapproval colouring his tone as Minki clicks his tongue in concern and Minhyun hurries to throw up a hand.

 

“ _I know!_ I know, we’re fine, he’s fine, and this is all besides the point. _The point is_ neither of those things are things Seongwoo does and it’s making me kind of paranoid that something is going on but I don’t know what.”

 

“Have you tried, I don’t know, talking to him?” Minki’s voice is almost mocking and Minhyun makes a face at him.

 

“And say what? ‘Hey honey, so you’ve been kinda weird lately, what’s going on?’ Like that’ll go over _really well_.”

 

“Not quite like that, have some tact!”

 

“You know I get tongue-tied in these situations,” Minhyun groaned.

 

“What else has been going on? Is that it?” Dongho buts in, “Because if it’s just the jacket and the movie, maybe he just wanted a change in pace. Nothing wrong with that.”

 

Minhyun wracks his brain for other examples but the rest seem mostly innocuous, nothing wildly out of character. “I mean, he insisted on going to this one cafe and he drank this milkshake with me even though it was the sweetest thing ever. And he dragged me out star-gazing last month.”

 

“Wow, a milkshake and star-gazing,” Minki deadpans, “How suspicious and terrible.”

 

“Oh stop it, you’re making this sound dumb,” Minhyun complained.

 

“That’s because it _is_ dumb, you’re worrying for nothing,” Minki scoffed, taking a deep pull of his drink, “Maybe you’re boring him so he’s trying to spice things up, inject more romance into your dull, domestic, old married-couple existence.”

 

“We haven’t even been dating for three years yet,” he grumbles, “And we’re fine! We’re happy the way we are.”

 

“Well if he feels the romance is fizzling out already and is taking things into his own hands while you don’t notice a thing, maybe _that_ is the problem.”

 

Minhyun pulls up short, mouth working soundlessly for a few moments. _Boring_. _Not romantic. Different from what I expected._ That were words that carried a bit too much weight, tinged with the voices echoing a collective accusation in his mind. Minki didn’t have to say it out loud for Minhyun to piece it together, doesn’t have to say it point blank when Minhyun can already feel the little stabs, pin pricks of discomfort and the unsettling coldness of dread, “…are we boring? Am I not being…romantic enough?”

 

“Your idea of exciting is watching your roomba clean the living room.”

 

“I am not that bad,” he protests, though it sounds half-hearted even to his own ears, “Seongwoo thinks it’s cute,” he tacks on defensively.

 

“Look, go talk to your boyfriend and see if anything is actually wrong,” Jonghyun interjects, smiling at him sympathetically, “If there is something, it’s better to talk it out so you can fix it than letting it stew. We’re not part of your relationship, so we can’t say for sure if something is off or not. If you feel it, you probably know best. And if you’re happy the way you are, that’s fine, just check in with Seongwoo to make sure he’s _also_ happy, okay?”

 

“Fine,” Minhyun grumbled, “I’ll talk to him.”

 

“How is he the only one in a committed relationship right now?” Minki sighs, shaking his head dramatically and Minhyun whips a packet of sugar at him on reflex alone.

 

“That’s because you decided you like being ‘between relationships’ too much to actually see anyone seriously, and Jonghyun…” Minhyun trails off meaningfully as his eyes inevitably find their target at the table, the larger set man missing the hint entirely and then the moment is gone when Jonghyun furiously swats at his head and he can’t help but laugh as he ducks.

 

“Go home and talk to your boyfriend, you stupid bobblehead,” Jonghyun hisses, glaring at Minki when the other man joins Minhyun in teasing Jonghyun by staring pointedly at their other friend.

 

Minhyun hops up from his seat and makes for the door after leaving enough money to cover everyone on the table, “Going, see you guys!”

 

He stops onces he’s three steps past the door, shoulders slumping with a sigh. The vibrancy of the cafe melts away, trickling down his arms and pooling on the concrete floor, leaving him with only those persistent pinpricks, the feeling of laying on a bed of nails and slowly sinking down, down, and down.

 

_Boring._

 

_Unromantic._

 

_Are you sure he’s happy too?_

 

He exhales, head tilted towards the heavens, breath a pale wisp that rises into the night sky in a silent prayer; time to face the music.

 

* * *

 

 

He doesn’t talk to Seongwoo about it.

 

Another week passes, another week of Seongwoo’s odd behaviour, though this weekend has been relatively normally so to speak, except for Seongwoo laying his head in Minhyun’s lap every time they sat down to watch television and then peering up at him expectantly until Minhyun sighed and started to pet his hair gently. But that wasn’t anything _completely_ new, it’s just that side of odd given how Seongwoo was very much like a cat when it comes to physical affection; happy to dole it out on his own terms, but usually quite picky about when and how he receives it.

 

Instead, he heads home early from the firm for once, a rare occurrence, looking forward to more downtime in the evening.

 

“I’m home!” Minhyun calls as he pushes the door open, pausing when he realizes only the one lamp in their apartment is on and Seongwoo is no where to be seen.

 

“Seong-ah?” he calls again just to make sure Seongwoo wasn’t just napping - nothing.

 

Shrugging, he steps inside fully, flicking the lights on and heads toward the kitchen to get a head start on dinner, feeling a sense of excitement that he was going to have time for a proper home-cooked meal today instead of something thrown together hastily or take-out. It’s such an entirely _adult_ excitement that he giggles for a moment, recalling how Minki had accused him of being boring last week. His friend is right to an extent; growing up and being responsible for yourself means the smallest triumphs and conveniences are what’s exciting, or they are to him at least. (Minhyun tries not to think about the pair of brand new dishwashing gloves he has tucked under the sink that he’s stupidly excited to try on a rainy day because there are silicone bristles attached to the front and they replace the need for a sponge!)

 

He’s done most of the prep work when his phone rings and he hurries to rinse off his hands before picking up.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Minhyun-ah, are you home?” Seongwoo’s voice filters through the receiver and Minhyun can feel the corners of his lips tugging upwards in Pavlovian response.

 

“Mmm, yes I am, are you coming home soon?”

 

“Soon! I’m still at the studio, actually, do you mind helping me check something? There should be a printed copy of the set-list somewhere on my desk; I made some modifications last night and for some reason it didn’t save properly in my drive, I just need to double check something.”

 

“Yeah, sure,” Minhyun shuffles out of the kitchen and heads to their shared study, “Just on your desk?”

 

“Yes please,” Seongwoo sings back, humming in a staccato beat as he waits that Minhyun bobs his head to unconsciously.

 

He riffles through the stack of papers before flipping through the notebook on the side. The set list is tucked in between one of the pages and he pulls it free, a couple pieces of paper slipping out with the motion and falling to the ground before he can grab them. Minhyun decides to leave them for now, scanning the sheet and rattling off the information that Seongwoo needs.

 

“Thanks babe, I’ll be back by seven, love you!”

 

Minhyun smiles, echoing the sentiment before hanging up and bending to pick up the scattered papers. Roughly sketched choreo formations, re-arrangements for songs to fit said choreo, notes in Seongwoo’s messy chicken scrawl, and _oh_.

 

He stares at the innocent piece of paper in front of him, rakes his eyes down the list clutched between his fingers, gaze darting dragonflies landing briefly on each checked off line, and feels the biggest grin overtake his face.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

> **_10 things every couple must do to get closer!!!_ **
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> ✔ **_1\. Wear couple outfits_ ** _\- the most classic way of showing off just how cute you and your beaux are! There’s ready made outfits out there to suit every couple’s tastes, some a bit more extravagant if that’s what you’re aiming for, but for the couples who prefer to keep things simple and classy, colour co-ordination can achieve the same effect._
> 
>  
> 
> ✔ **_2\. Share a drink_ ** _\- there’s nothing quite like staring into your partner’s eyes while sharing something delicious between you. Scientists says that just the simple act of holding eye contact is likely to increase attraction, so bat those Bambi eyes and smile, and you’re sure to capture their heart!_
> 
>  
> 
> ✔ **_3\. Share gloves (and keep warm by holding hands)_ ** _\- there’s nothing cuter than offering to share gloves on a chilly day while you keep each other warm. Bonus points for if you can sneak your joined hands into a snug pocket - it’s the coziest feeling, we promise!_
> 
>  
> 
> ✔ **_4\. Watch a horror movie together_ ** _\- psychological studies have shown that when we’re with someone, we’ll attribute the feelings we have to their presence. Get that adrenaline rushing with a few good scares and we promise your other half will associate their pounding heart with your presence! Plus you can take the chance to cuddle up to them when either of you are scared, it’s a win-win situation!_
> 
>  
> 
> ✔ **_5\. Go star-gazing_ ** _\- another tried and true classic, what could be more romantic than sharing a cozy night together, watching the stars with the night sky stretched above you until it feels like you’re the only ones in the world? Bring some hot cocoa and a blanket, cuddle, and we guarantee this experience will be an unforgettable one._
> 
>  
> 
> ✔ **_6\. Watch television with your head in their lap (or vice-versa)_ ** _\- sometimes the simple things are the best things in life. What better than a cuddle on the couch while watching your favourite shows with your favourite person? Laying in their lap is a cute way to let them know with your body language that you’re comfortable with them and appreciate their presence; make sure to make eye contact from now and then to let them know you’re here with them and not just for the show._

 

 

 

There’s a note scrawled across the top in Seongwoo’s hand: _Ways to make Minhyunnie feel more secure/loved?_ The list goes on but Minhyun is fixated on the six that are checked off and that little note, everything falling into place in his mind.

 

The last month and a half suddenly makes so much sense and the fact that his boyfriend was secretly putting this much work into their relationship was ridiculously endearing and he wanted nothing more than to sweep him up in his arms and smother him with kisses. It was so _cute_ that Seongwoo was taking some list ripped-off of a magazine most likely meant for teenage girls so seriously. Half the things on the list sound like nonsense and yet Seongwoo was still following it religiously. The entire situation was adorable and silly, _his boyfriend_ was an adorable fool, and by god, he laughs out loud, clutching the page a bit tighter without meaning to - he loved this man.

 

He really, really loved this adorable and foolish and heart-warmingly endearing man.

 

Well, Minhyun decides, reading through the rest of the list, if Seongwoo wanted to finish the list then they certainly would. And maybe it was time for him to be a bit more obvious when giving back.

 

* * *

 

 

Minhyun, Seongwoo decides, has been a little strange lately.

 

For starters, the other man had stopped complaining about their impromptu outings. In fact, he’s been amazingly co-operative and even oddly enthusiastic even when it was something Seongwoo _knows_ he wouldn’t be fond of.

 

For another, Seongwoo swears he keeps catching Minhyun smiling at him with the dopiest look on his face at times for not reason at all when he thinks Seongwoo isn’t looking. That’s not to say that Minhyun doesn’t do that sometimes anyways (it’s one of the many things their friends complain about, in fact, that the two of them will sometimes just stop mid conversation and smile at each other) but the frequency had really increased into something noticibley different. And that’s not counting the way he’s started to look so _indulgent_ when they go out.

 

He’s also been coming home a bit earlier from the firm these days, cooking Seongwoo’s favourites for dinner, and dropping by the studio with Seongwoo’s bubble tea order at the first mention of a hard day.

 

Either way it had made checking off the rest of the items on Seongwoo’s secret project much easier and he’s getting pampered a bit, so he’s not really complaining. Suspicious, yes, but not complaining. He had wondered if Minhyun had found out about Seongwoo’s pet project but the other man hadn’t said a single thing so he dismissed that as a possibility by the time the third week passed with Minhyun acting just a bit different than before.

 

Right now, he’s about the enact the last part of his operation, but first, he sighs, looking at the smudged grocery list in his hand, first he had to finish the shopping.

 

Seongwoo makes it through all the legible items before he puts down his pride and picks up his phone to call Minhyun. The call connects after two rings, “Hello?”

 

“Hey babe, uh, just checking. What brand of toilet paper do we use again?”

 

Static rushes through the receiver and Seongwoo can almost taste the amusement that tinges the sound. “It doesn’t really matter that much you know,” his boyfriend huffs out a laugh, “Just grab whatever is on sale.”

 

“Okay,” Seongwoo agrees, pushing the cart down the aisle and napping the first one with a sale tag that catches his eye, “I’m going to get the one with the cat on it.”

 

“Sounds good, is that all?”

 

“No, um, you put down persimmons but you didn’t say which kind? Do you want yunshi, dangam, or hongshi?”

 

“Dangam, Seongwoo-ah, when have we ever gotten the other ones? You like the crunch, we buy these every time.”

 

“Yes, yes, okay now, milk; do you want one percent, or two percent, or homo milk? Ooh, look there’s cream too, do you think we can drink cream?”

 

“Seongwoo-ah _,_ ” Minhyun sounds just a little exasperated and Seongwoo can’t help but grin, already imagining the look on Minhyun’s face.

 

“I’m getting cream then,” he sings.

 

“Wha- no! Do not get cream, get the one percent. Now are you done?”

 

Seongwoo pouts, “Shopping without you is boring.”

 

“We’ll go together next week when I don’t have a meeting, okay? Now I have to go, are you good?”

 

“Just _one_ more thing.”

 

“ _Seongwoo_.”

 

“I love you,” Seongwoo says quietly and Minhyun falls silent.

 

There’s a beat where all he can hear is their breathing in synch before Minhyun’s voice filters through, words soft but laden with truth, “And I love you.”

 

Seongwoo grins, fingering the page in his pocket, tracing a line that he knows by heart now. “Have a good day at work, I’ll see you tonight.”

 

 

✔  ** _10\. Always say ‘I love you’._**

 

* * *

 

 

“Where are you taking me?” Seongwoo complains, his eyes closed as instructed while Minhyun leads him by the hand, coaxing him step by step through the little trail that leads away from the park they’re both fond of.

 

“You’ll see, just, _no, not now! Keep your eyes shut!_ ” he shouts a little, covering Seongwoo’s eyes in a hurry while his boyfriend giggles mischievously.

 

“You said I would see.”

 

“That’s an expression and you know it, stop trying to cheat!” Minhyun grumbles.

 

“Fine, fine. I’ll be good, promise.”

 

Minhyun slowly withdraws his hands, observing Seongwoo skeptically before nodding in satisfaction that Seongwoo really was keeping his word as the other man stood there obediently, no longer trying to peek. Taking his hands again, Minhyun leads Seongwoo the rest of the way into the clearing before letting go and stepping back, “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

 

Seongwoo can’t see it but Minhyun hasn’t gone anywhere, not really. He stands a mere five steps away, facing Seongwoo, wondering is this is really the right course of action, hands clenching and unclenching compulsively in his pockets. Part of him wants to scream _go for it,_ but a part of him still hesitates, still holds back, doesn’t want to be hasty.

 

It’s three years that they’ve been together now, three years of laughter but also tears, turbulent ups and down at times fuelled by Seongwoo’s insecurities and others by Minhyun’s own demons and doubts. They’re built by their own experiences and coloured by hues of their shared history.

 

Before they were ever lovers, they were friends; before they were ever lovers, neither of them had entertained the idea of being together in this way. Seongwoo had been a close friend, but not someone he saw romantically. A year into their relationship, he had been able to admit to himself that he just hadn’t allowed himself to see Seongwoo romantically because his love life always ended in tatters and no attraction was worth acting on if it lost him a dear friend. Except Seongwoo had been the one to reach out, to initiate a tentative hope for something more, and Minhyun had been too weak, had wanted too much to say no.

 

And it had worked, they had worked. They worked past the setting off each other’s triggers, worked out compromises after fights and learned to communicate better, worked out new routines when they first moved in together and then drove each other _insane._ Minhyun holds his tongue now when Seongwoo doesn’t hang his jacket up within five minutes of stepping through the door; Seongwoo sorts the laundry by whites and colours without complaint before every load.

 

They’ve come so far together, was this, was this really it?

 

Minhyun stands and looks at the man in front of him, at Seongwoo still standing there in the clearing just five paces away, eyes closed, face serene and trusting.

 

“Seongwoo-ah,” he says finally, “That was the last one, right?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Yesterday,” Minhyun continues, shifting nervously, “That was the last item on your list, right? Do you feel like we’re closer now? Are you happy with where we are?”

 

Seongwoo’s eyes fly open and Minhyun doesn’t blame him. Once the shock fades away, Seongwoo meets his gaze evenly, steadily. He reads the lines of tension in Minhyun’s shoulders like he is an open book and answers simply, no hesitation at all.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Are you happy with me?”

 

“Of course I am.”

 

Minhyun can taste it in the space between them, can feel the truth of it in the caress of Seongwoo’s eyes tracing every curve and dip of his face as if he was more priceless than art, as if he was _worth it_ , worth every effort. The truth rests heavy on his tongue, laden with honey and sweeter than the golden apples seeped in eternity. Its heady scent is a tangible thing that rides on every breath he takes in, ebbs and flows with every exhale that stirs the stardust hovering around his fingertips if he were just to reach out and touch it.

 

Just like everything else that could be his if he were to just reach out and _take it_.

 

There are laws in the universe that cannot be broken, that are etched into the very fabric of time. Laws that cannot be undone even if the gods themselves were to pull at the threads of reality; they will not waver. They are as old as the solemn stars that stood witness to the rise and fall of every passing soul, long before any god blinked into existence or took interest in mortal lives. They are written in the whispers, in the twist of every falling leaf, in the waxing and waning of the moon, in every turn of the rising sun.

 

And just like the laws of the universe, this truth, too, was immutable.

 

In every world, in any world, every version of Ong Seongwoo loves every version of Hwang Minhyun.

 

Without faltering, without wavering, without hesitation or question.

 

And if Minhyun allowed himself to be honest, if he reached out to clench his fists around stardust and tangible happiness, lets the admittance run sweet and golden from him in every tongue, then he would say this: every version of Hwang Minhyun loves every version of Ong Seongwoo.

 

“Seongwoo-ah,” he croaks, “I want to be closer to you too, I want to be close to you forever.”

 

Minhyun takes three steps and then drops to one knee, reaching out to grasp Seongwoo’s hand as his eyes widen with shock and realization, mouth slightly agape.

 

“Will you marry me?”

 

A beat, and then Minhyun watches as the very sun rises with the force of Seongwoo’s smile, those beloved eyes crinkling up into crescents as he threw himself into Minhyun’s arms, toppling the both of them over.

 

“Yes! Yes to you, yes to forever; always, always _yes_.”

 

Minhyun wears a matching smile on his face, just as wide and bright. They spend what seems like hours just holding each other, watching the sun slowly fade from view as the last of the light filters out from through the leaves, whispering promises and dreams for the future into each other’s ears, too elated to let go.

 

Later, Minhyun will tease Seongwoo for following relationship advice meant for fourteen year old girls.

 

Later, Seongwoo would pout and whine, protest that it’s not fair, and then laugh himself sick when Minhyun finally realizes Seongwoo had knocked the ring out of his hands when he tackled him and he had never put it on his fiancé _s_ finger.

 

Later, they’ll spent an hour hunting through the undergrowth with only the light of their cellphones for a guide until they find it.

 

Later, they'll stumble home, arms around each other's waists, still unwilling to part and grinning like loons enough to scare passers-by, happiness on display for all the world to see.

 

But for now they were content and, perhaps, they were always meant to be this way. No matter how it started, with friendship, with a need for something steady in their lives in the most uncertain times, or with the sweater and jeans Seongwoo laid out on his bed, or when he picked up that little list and first felt that burning need to make Minhyun recognize how much he was loved. This is the man he wants to fall asleep next to and wake up beside day after day after day.

 

 

This love, he thinks, leaning his cheek against Seongwoo’s hair, inhaling the scent of happiness - this love was inevitable.

 

 

 

 


End file.
